THE CHASE OF A HIND. 115 



is waning before hounds have set up their deer, 

 and frequently they have to leave a deer they know 

 to be dead beat in the coverts beside the Horner or 

 the Bade solely for want of daylight. 



As is usual when a herd of stags has to be 

 separated on the forest, so in hind hunting tufting 

 begins with a stronger body of tufters than would 

 ordinarily be used for a stag, eight, or even ten, 

 couple being often taken out, the intention being to 

 insure that if the herd before hounds should break 

 up — and it is a frequent thing to have twenty or even 

 more hinds before hounds — there may be enough 

 tufters available to press any hind which may be 

 singled out, and go right on and hunt her if neces- 

 sary. Whenever practicable, all the tufters are 

 stopped, and the pack laid on as in staghunting, 

 and the best runs are undoubtedly obtained in this 

 way, but it is frequently impossible to do so without 

 letting the hind join other deer, or get an undue 

 start, so they are allowed to run on, and it is left to 

 the smartness of the whip to bring up the pack when 

 and how he can, generally at the first ch(^ck. The 

 stopping of such tufters as can be stopped, and 

 transferring them to the right line, frequently entails 

 spme of the quickest, smartest work to be seen in 

 the whole season. 



On February 28th, 1903, hounds met at Brendon 

 Two Gates, and a small field, who had journeyed 

 far to that wildest and bleakest spot on the whole 

 moor, were lucky enough to enjoy the best and 



I 2 



